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Development sources with working knowledge of both next generation consoles have told us that PlayStation 4 will be more powerful than the next Xbox, will ship with a redesigned controller and launch by the end of the year in Japan and the US. PlayStation 4’s European launch will follow in early 2014.

Sony is set to reveal its next PlayStation on Wednesday February 20th at an event dubbed ‘see the future’. Sony Computer Entertainment released a teaser video last night to announce the event. Below, our sources revealed what to expect from PlayStation 4.

The controller

Sources close to the hardware have revealed to us that PS4 will ship with a redesigned controller which is the same size as an existing DualShock but features a small touchpad in place of the existing Select, Start and PS buttons. The tech is based on Vita’s rear touchpad, and is similarly responsive in use.

A new Share button on the controller will, when pressed, launch a new feature that will allow screenshots and video to be distributed online. The PS4 hardware will continually record the most recent 15 minutes of onscreen action (with no processing penalty, claims our source), which users will then be able to edit and broadcast via the Internet.

The launch

We’re told that PlayStation 4 will launch in Japan and the US by Christmas, with a Euro rollout following in early 2014, the delay attributed to the complexities involved in European distribution. Alongside the console, Sony will also introduce a new, improved iteration of its PlayStation Eye peripheral, which remains compatible with the PlayStation Move controller. Move will be available at launch, but it’s not clear yet whether it will be bundled with the hardware.

The specification

Sony has already earned an enormous amount of goodwill among studios working with PS4 development hardware. Privately, Sony representatives have conceded that the company made a mistake in creating such esoteric architecture for PS3, and its strategy for PS4 gives developers more opportunities this time around, notably because the hardware is much more PC-like in its makeup than PS3.

We have confirmed with sources that recently leaked tech specs are accurate. Though Durango devkits offer 8GB of DDR3 RAM, compared to Orbis’s 4GB, Sony’s GDDR5 solution is capable of moving data at 176 gigabytes per second, which should eliminate the sort of bottlenecks that hampered PS3 game performance. Importantly, we’ve learned that Sony has told developers that it is pushing for the final PS4 RAM to match up to Microsoft’s 8GB.

Both platforms are driven by eight-core AMD CPUs clocked at 1.6GHz, with Microsoft opting for a D3D11.x GPU from an unknown source and Sony utilising a more capable solution in AMD’s ‘R10XX’ architecture, alongside the so-called ‘Liverpool’ system-on-chip.

It’s clear Sony has designed a system that, on paper, outperforms Microsoft’s next Xbox. One source familiar with both platforms tells us that in real terms Sony’s console is “slightly more powerful” and “very simple to work with”.

Ultimately, the performance differences between the two consoles will have as much bearing on multiplatform releases as the differences between PS3 and 360 – very little – but Sony will be expecting big-budget first party releases such as the PS4 Uncharted sequel to demonstrate its console’s superiority.

The only real reason for that is Xbox Live. That's the only advantage Xbox really has over PS3, and it's not that big of an advantage. Even less so since PS Plus came out. PS3 flat out dominates the exclusive game market, absolutely no doubt about that. PS3 also comes with a blu-ray player. Aside from those things, the only noticeable difference between the two is the controller, and neither really has a clear advantage there.

Xbox is backed by Microsoft. That's basically all you really need to know when looking strictly at sales. They're just better at marketing. If you were watching a demo of a game that is on both systems, but couldn't see the console or the controller, you would have no idea which system it was being played on.

I'll take the blu-ray player and the exclusive games over Xbox Live any day of the week. I don't play online very often at all, but when I do I never really have any problems. Xbox Live is overrated imo.

The only real reason for that is Xbox Live. That's the only advantage Xbox really has over PS3, and it's not that big of an advantage. Even less so since PS Plus came out. PS3 flat out dominates the exclusive game market, absolutely no doubt about that. PS3 also comes with a blu-ray player. Aside from those things, the only noticeable difference between the two is the controller, and neither really has a clear advantage there.

Xbox is backed by Microsoft. That's basically all you really need to know when looking strictly at sales. They're just better at marketing. If you were watching a demo of a game that is on both systems, but couldn't see the console or the controller, you would have no idea which system it was being played on.

I'll take the blu-ray player and the exclusive games over Xbox Live any day of the week. I don't play online very often at all, but when I do I never really have any problems. Xbox Live is overrated imo.

But that doesn't matter when a lot of them are Kinect games. I know 360 has some great exclusives, but the last two years or so has been pretty barren in the way of good exclusives. Also, the way Microsoft supports the 360 in its last year of being the main console is pretty embarrassing. 1 exclusive for Microsoft and a bunch for Sony. Didn't this happen with the original XBOX too? I just can't wait for the next console war.

But that doesn't matter when a lot of them are Kinect games. I know 360 has some great exclusives, but the last two years or so has been pretty barren in the way of good exclusives. Also, the way Microsoft supports the 360 in its last year of being the main console is pretty embarrassing. 1 exclusive for Microsoft and a bunch for Sony. Didn't this happen with the original XBOX too? I just can't wait for the next console war.

No that is counting the stuff since launch. They have more because of games like Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, Kameo, and so on. You may have never herd of them and that is the reason why you don't see them right now.

Some website a few/several months ago went back to launch and compared the 2 companies exclusives to date to see who really had more. It ended up being Microsoft because of their earlier titles. Also if you think about it Microsoft took the more traditional route and Sony didn't when it came to releasing games for a new console.

At the beginning of both console launches Microsoft was putting out new IP's left and right. Sony however was battling the 600 dollar launch price of their system with zero games to play for a long time. As the generation went on Microsoft removed the franchises that didn't push units and kept Halo, Forza, Gears of War, Alan Wake, and Fable and still has massive 3rd party support with timed exclusive content all over the place.

Sony has come late to the party with their IP's. So this is why their is an illusion to why Sony has all these great IP's. Microsoft got rid of the ones that didn't sell and Sony doesn't care about game sales. Well they do, but they release games regardless with very poor marketing.

The difference right now is Sony can bring slightly different things to the table because of their Japan studios and support. That is why Ni No Kuni is only on Playstation. However outside of Japan the JRPG scene is rather small so the sales might not be there, but it gives another "exclusive" to Sony.

As far as what Microsoft did with the first Xbox was more of a test run. Microsoft lost billions of dollars with the first Xbox. It was more powerful than the PS2 and had plenty of exclusives. However Microsoft was very late to that party.

Lets put something into perspective about PS3 vs. 360 right now. The 360 is a year older than the PS3. So to compare what games each company has coming out is a bit unfair. Sony has the 37th God of War game coming out and counting the HD release of Sly Cooper the 5th release of that franchise. They have 1 new franchise out in The Last of Us which looks really good.

On the other hand Sony had zero games last year while Microsoft had Forza, Halo, and Alan Wakes American Nightmare.

As far as what Microsoft did with the first Xbox was more of a test run. Microsoft lost billions of dollars with the first Xbox. It was more powerful than the PS2 and had plenty of exclusives. However Microsoft was very late to that party.

Lets put something into perspective about PS3 vs. 360 right now. The 360 is a year older than the PS3. So to compare what games each company has coming out is a bit unfair. Sony has the 37th God of War game coming out and counting the HD release of Sly Cooper the 5th release of that franchise. They have 1 new franchise out in The Last of Us which looks really good.

On the other hand Sony had zero games last year while Microsoft had Forza, Halo, and Alan Wakes American Nightmare.

Ok first. Do you care more about sales(of Kinect games) or good games? Second. You say that God of War has 37 games, but neglect the fact that Halo and Forza have also been done to death. Next you say that PS3 had no exclusives last year. Well let's go through them. Journey(92 on Metacritic and multiple game of the year awards). Twisted Metal. Starhawk. Papa y Yo. PS All Stars. LBP Karting. Okami HD. Tales of Graces F. Sound Shapes. A lot more I'm forgetting. Let's stop fighting. I am a Sony fanboy but I admit Microsoft has some great exclusives. Blue Dragon looks amazing BTW.

Ok first. Do you care more about sales(of Kinect games) or good games? Second. You say that God of War has 37 games, but neglect the fact that Halo and Forza have also been done to death. Next you say that PS3 had no exclusives last year. Well let's go through them. Journey(92 on Metacritic and multiple game of the year awards). Twisted Metal. Starhawk. Papa y Yo. PS All Stars. LBP Karting. Okami HD. Tales of Graces F. Sound Shapes. A lot more I'm forgetting. Let's stop fighting. I am a Sony fanboy but I admit Microsoft has some great exclusives. Blue Dragon looks amazing BTW.

I don't care what games sell to be honest. I just use them in the context we we are talking about exclusives because that kind of matters to the companies. All those games from Sony last year were not big releases and didn't sell anything. Journey was their big draw. It was also a PSN game.

I just explained how Microsoft and Sony took different approaches this gen. Microsoft focused on franchises that sell and Sony wanted to put out as many games as possible.

Also the GOW and Sly Cooper thing was done to show you that both companies really do the same thing. They milk their top franchises and get support else where. The only difference is Sony gives you more games regardless of sales.